Been really busy lately so the report of the relatively exciting picket last Sunday has been delayed. But I thought I would post the flyer we were handing out at that picket.

In 36 point type it says

A Parsonage?

Followed by Ron Sharp's neat photo of the building which you can see here:

http://64.229.164.35:6346/files/Clubs/ARSCC/TorOrg6.jpg

The City of Toronto is losing about $105,000

a year in property taxes on this 8-story commercial office building at 696 Yonge St. The four million dollar building has to be the biggest "parsonage" in North America.

How did this happen?

In 1997 Scientology had an application before Revenue Canada to become a charity. The City lawyers told the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (which approves tax breaks of this kind) that it would be less expensive to give them the tax break than the cost of a lawsuit they threatened on religious discrimination grounds. They gave the tax break under SEC.3(1)3 OF THE ASSM'T ACT,

"iii. 50 per cent of the assessment of the principal residence and land used in connection with it of the member of the clergy who officiates at the place of worship referred to in subparagraph i, so long as the residence is located at the site of the place of worship."

That was a real stretch because Scientology does nothing that can be considered worship.

Not a charity!

The same year Scientology failed in their application to become a charity. The Canadian recommendation is not public, but the Charity Commission in England and Wales, based on the same facts stated that Scientology did not meet the qualifications of a "public benefit"

organization, which is a primary requirement in securing charitable status there.

"The Commissioners considered the core practices of Scientology, namely auditing and training, and concluded that the private conduct and nature of these practices together with their general lack of accessibility meant that the benefits were of a personal as opposed to a public nature. Accordingly, following the legal test referred to above, public benefit had not been established."

Scientology hardly needs a tax rebate of any kind. Recently it came to light in a Florida court that this self styled "Church" has spent $34,950,000 in the past few years on legal cases harassing its critics--while putting zero dollars, by policy, into any local charitable community efforts or organizations.

Scientology is not a religion; here in Canada this US import is not even a charity. The 8-story building is not a "parsonage" either.

The tax break was given in fear and has continued through bureaucratic inertia.

If you think the City of Toronto could use an extra $105,000 a year from this rich and criminally convicted cult to keep pools open and retain good police, write or call the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation and ask them to reconsider the tax break it gave Scientology.

MPAC Head Office:
1305 Pickering Parkway
Pickering ON L1V 3P2
1-866-296-MPAC (6722)

For more about Scientology try here: www.xenu.net, freehenson.da.ru, www.xenu.ca

[The sub headings are in large friendly bold type. Keith Henson]

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